blondie

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Posts by blondie

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  22

  You May Now Embrace the Bride!

  by jp1692 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  just yesterday, a pimi jw that i've known for years told me that at the end of a wedding they recently attended in pennsylvania, usa, the "brother" that officiated the ceremony concluded by saying to the bride and groom, "you may now embrace the bride.

  no kissing.

  just a hug.

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  blondie

  jp1692, I bet Atlantis has a recent copy.
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  49

  As Seen On TV....Have You Ever Tried Any Of Their Products?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if you have , was it worth what you paid?

  ?.

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  blondie

  Does vinegar help eggs peel easier?

  That means easy peel boiled eggs! Add salt and vinegar to the water before cooking. ... The salt permeates the shell a little bit, and the vinegar helps to break down the shells, making them easier to peel. Cool the eggs in ice cold water for ten minutes.Mar 5, 2018

  
  
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  24

  See you in a couple weeks

  by Biahi in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  leaving today for rome, and then a mediterranean cruise.

  will not be online, i will miss you all.

  hopefully, when i get back, the wt will have declared bankruptcy.

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  blondie

  Edited, have a good trip. I have never taken a cruise. I was once invited to one full of jws (when I was still a believing jw). I could not afford it, but it made me wonder how these people could spend this kind of money and time but not have the "circumstances" even to auxiliary pioneer.
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  8

  Heidi Hall: Life after WTS Good read

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  https://religionnews.com/2019/09/26/finding-a-faith-that-is-stronger-than-death-or-my-familys-rejection/.

  in my search, i left behind conditional, behavior-based love and traded it for the unconditional grace shown by a true family, whose bonds have nothing to do with dna.. and i’m dying grateful for that.. (heidi hall, who died sept. 25, 2019, at age 49, was a veteran journalist whose award-winning career took her from the standard democrat in sikeston, missouri, and the southeast missourian to the tampa tribune and the nashville tennessean before landing her at vanderbilt university’s public affairs office.

  the views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of religion news service.

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  blondie

  https://religionnews.com/2019/09/26/finding-a-faith-that-is-stronger-than-death-or-my-familys-rejection/

  In my search, I left behind conditional, behavior-based love and traded it for the unconditional grace shown by a true family, whose bonds have nothing to do with DNA.

  And I’m dying grateful for that.

  (Heidi Hall, who died Sept. 25, 2019, at age 49, was a veteran journalist whose award-winning career took her from the Standard Democrat in Sikeston, Missouri, and the Southeast Missourian to the Tampa Tribune and the Nashville Tennessean before landing her at Vanderbilt University’s public affairs office. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)
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  52

  Ruin those Ruining th Earth

  by peacefulpete in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  it has been mentioned before but since we have been discussing environmental issues on another thread, i thought it might be timely to discuss rev 11:18 which has recently become a popular text for those christians concerned about environmental threats of pollution and climate change.

  is this passage being interpreted correctly?

  did the writer somehow anticipate the modern environmental situation, or did he intend something more in keeping with the bible's general concerns of morality and sin?.

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  blondie

  smiddy3, I don't reconcile it, it just makes me realize how ridiculous those stories are.
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  15

  Demonic Possession

  by Nihilistic Journey in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i am looking for articles that i recall reading from the magazines.

  i recall getting the magazines through subscription so it must have been in the 1980's.

  they were "biographies" from sisters that dealt with demonic possession and attacks.

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  blondie

  smiddy3, I would think because most of the human "authors" in the bible are presented as male. In a male-dominated world, why would a demon want to appear as a woman.
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  15

  Demonic Possession

  by Nihilistic Journey in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i am looking for articles that i recall reading from the magazines.

  i recall getting the magazines through subscription so it must have been in the 1980's.

  they were "biographies" from sisters that dealt with demonic possession and attacks.

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  blondie

  I would ask about new cars, you never could know if a demonized person had assembled part of the car or made the dress/pants you wearing.

  I can understand this thinking in a culture/community founded on the belief of demon possession. But not too many in the US take this seriously. They don't view horror films as documentaries.

  As to thrift stores and garage sales, the view as used anything being purchased being demonized is painting yourself into a corner.

  When I went to "pioneer school," when we went out to practice the things regarding talking to people at the door, we had to go with one of the instructors for part of the morning or afternoon. As we walked along, I saw a garage sale up ahead. One of the sisters in the school, was very vocal about demons and garage sales. It happened she and her partner were working across the street from us. As we reached the garage sale, the instructor looked at what was for sale, picked up a couple of things he knew his wife would like and that a friend would like. Went up to pay for them and just mentioned that we were jws in their neighborhood. Complemented them on the well run sale. And that was it. Later, I saw that woman go up to him to chastise him. He pulled aside out of earshot and quietly talked to her. She stormed off, but later was a lot meeker in the afternoon.

  I have found there is at least one person who gets attention when she/he makes themselves the center of a "special" demon event. It is sad that anyone would have to do that to be noticed. The problem was she had an influence on some who thought if you did not have a demon experience, you weren't doing enough and satan did not see you as a worthy target.
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  7

  Merger / Sale After - Mathematics

  by waton in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  wt inc derives a steady stream of income from the "kingdom" halls the took out of the hands of the builder founder congregations.

  why sell ?

  do they anticipate that the stream will continue even if the asset is gone?.

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  blondie

  Actually, as they sell off property and have to cash flow through interest on investments, or dividends, or cash donations, they are heading to a crisis, but more slowly.

  Imagine if your house were paid for, sold for $300,000

  If you used to pay off debt and monthly expenses, eventually you be in the hole again if you had no other source of income, wages, income from rental property, a contracted amount of donations, etc.

  The WTS is not going to survive without cash flow, in their case hopefully from donations, more from not such rich members but who are consistent in donating.
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  52

  Ruin those Ruining th Earth

  by peacefulpete in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  it has been mentioned before but since we have been discussing environmental issues on another thread, i thought it might be timely to discuss rev 11:18 which has recently become a popular text for those christians concerned about environmental threats of pollution and climate change.

  is this passage being interpreted correctly?

  did the writer somehow anticipate the modern environmental situation, or did he intend something more in keeping with the bible's general concerns of morality and sin?.

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  blondie

  Watchtower polluting, please say it is not so!

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/219895/article-about-watchtower-farms-todays-record-online

  
  SHAWANGUNK — State authorities are overseeing the investigation of chemicals and debris that were found buried at Watchtower Farms.
  The state Department of Environmental Conservation said the pollution was found at three different sites on the 1,141-acre property. Each of the pollution sites covers roughly 2 acres.
  Matt Hubicki, a DEC environmental engineer, said hints of the contamination were found in 2007 while the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization was building an expansion.
  “They found some drums while digging the foundation for one of their residential facilities,” Hubicki said. The group immediately reported the drums to the DEC.
  An investigation found that several 55-gallon drums contained chemicals, including inks and solvents that were used at Watchtower’s printing press off Red Mills Road. The gigantic printing operation dates back to the 1970s, and it produces all the religious literature that the group distributes in North America.
  The drums contained benzene, xylene and other chemicals that have been shown to affect human health. Construction debris and polluted soil was also uncovered at the sites.
  DEC officials said it appears that Watchtower workers moved the toxic soil to these sites when printing chemicals spilled decades ago. Then they used farm machinery to aerate the soil and evaporate the contaminants.
  An investigation that began this month will determine the scope of the pollution and clean-up options. Watchtower will have to pay for the cleanup; the cost has not yet been determined. The site is currently enrolled in the state Brownfield Cleanup Program.
  [email protected]
  
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  37

  My "shameless" relationship with my ex wife

  by Jayk in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  i've thought about keeping this to myself but i'm still confused on what i should do.. my ex wife(never been a jw) and myself(raised in the org till 16)have been reconnecting these past few weeks.

  we been divorced for almost 10 years, we got married when we where pretty young, and it didnt last long.. fast forward 10 years, her and i have been reconnecting and things are getting semi serious.. she got remarried, divorced again, and recently broke up with her gf.

  so in the past 10 years she has only been with 3 people (including myself) and here comes me "a sucker with no self esteem".

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  blondie

  You can do better. Walk away and don't explain yourself.